I've only had one (1) person spout off on politics to me here, and it was the 2nd day in Texas... obese clerk at the uhaul storage place immediately started telling my brother and I his "theory" about how Hillary had the US ambassador to Libya killed because he found out she was running guns to Syria (somehow this illicit activity eluded the CIA, NSA, FBI, Pentagon, ATF, Secret Service, even though they have more or less all our communications wiretapped at all times, and as secretary of state she wouldve been surrounded by aides, security detail almost 24/7...) and you could believe it was true because the guy who told him was "ex military." we politely said "oh wow, really?" paid the bill, and left.

This is the equivalent of the theory that bombs were planted in the twin towers to blow them to smithereens when the planes flew into them on 911.

I've only had one (1) person spout off on politics to me here, and it was the 2nd day in Texas... obese clerk at the uhaul storage place immediately started telling my brother and I his "theory" about how Hillary had the US ambassador to Libya killed because he found out she was running guns to Syria (somehow this illicit activity eluded the CIA, NSA, FBI, Pentagon, ATF, Secret Service, even though they have more or less all our communications wiretapped at all times, and as secretary of state she wouldve been surrounded by aides, security detail almost 24/7...) and you could believe it was true because the guy who told him was "ex military." we politely said "oh wow, really?" paid the bill, and left.

I told my brother as we left "Shit...Texas is gonna SUUUUUUUCK"

but that's been literally the only time someone has gotten political with me here, going on 2 years. Houston is a pretty liberal town, even by national standards, so I'm not really surprised.

more commonly People have tried to feel out what church I attend, but my canned response "Oh, I'm not religious" seems to end it there, and they move on to talk about something less sensitive, like football, or more typically fishing

From my experience, that has far less to do with religion than it does social standing in Texas. Both Dallas and Houston ...Church is a social outlet.

From my experience, that has far less to do with religion than it does social standing in Texas. Both Dallas and Houston ...Church is a social outlet.

yeah. I wonder where that puts me on their social standing chart? I get the sense a lot of them never thought they'd meet an actual atheist in person, let alone one who seemed normal. I think I might as well be a martian to them.

yeah. I wonder where that puts me on their social standing chart? I get the sense a lot of them never thought they'd meet an actual atheist in person, let alone one who seemed normal. I think I might as well be a martian to them.

Wife's family in Dallas, it's like their entire social network is their church. And we've met some nice people but between Bible Study, retreats, Kids parties and regular ..all day Sundays at church, it's a lot of Church.

And I'm a preacher kid ..I get parish but it's a whole different level in TX.

yeah. I wonder where that puts me on their social standing chart? I get the sense a lot of them never thought they'd meet an actual atheist in person, let alone one who seemed normal. I think I might as well be a martian to them.

For the most hardcore, it's more like you're playing the wrong sport. Catholics and Lutherans, sure, we don't like them, but an atheist? (Disclaimer: I have no idea what specific religions make up the population of Texas.)

You say you like Oklahoma football, you're an enemy, you say you like Arsenal and they don't know what to make of that.

For the most hardcore, it's more like you're playing the wrong sport. Catholics and Lutherans, sure, we don't like them, but an atheist? (Disclaimer: I have no idea what specific religions make up the population of Texas.)

...

Judging from teh Churches and Church billboards I see, there are mostly lots of Baptists and Methodists here. Baylor and SMU, are the private colleges that exist for the rich kids of each of those respective denominations. Then there are a boatload of nondenominational Christians that go to these megachurches that mail out fliers that show them all having fun and playing Christian Rock together.

there are lots of Catholics too, but it's a different mix... northern cities have more Italian, Irish, & Polish catholics. There are actually a lot of Germans in Texas. There's even a sub dialect of German spoken here. These aren't like the Germans that precision engineered Audis and Volkswagens though... these are real redneck Germans.

If you go to the opera or any museums here, you'll notice Saudi Aramco and a lot of Arabic surnames among the benefactors and honorees. Rich oilmen of all creeds end up here as well. They know that among the Oil Billionaires, oil is thicker than blood or any religion.

yeah. I wonder where that puts me on their social standing chart? I get the sense a lot of them never thought they'd meet an actual atheist in person, let alone one who seemed normal. I think I might as well be a martian to them.

Back in the days when my mom was living in Texas toward the end of her life, I used to spend a good amount of time there in Dallas.

I don't think anybody ever once asked me about my religion or what I believed or didn't believe.

I don't think anybody cared.

It seems to me in Dallas that Jesus and God definitely take a backseat to Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.